The present invention generally pertains to the gaming industry, and in particular to system for recognizing the color and therefore monetary denomination of a gaming chip.
Devices for sorting, counting, and determining the value of gaming chips are well known in the art. For example:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,309 shows a chip counter for use in gaming applications and the like. The counter includes a slitted tray having a trough for receiving chips. The chips have a reflective strip around their periphery. Different strips emit different wave lengths to denote chip denomination. The system uses various filters in the color determination process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,139 illustrates an system for sorting and/or handling disc-like members such as casino chips. The invention includes a gravity feed feature. The invention also sorts the chips by color, using photoelectric or other means.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,810 defines a roulette system which discloses the sorting of casino chips by color. The patent does not describe how the color sorting is performed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,081 discloses an system and method for reading encoded data on circular objects such as gaming chips. A circular bar code is used to determine the denomination of the chips. The chips drop through a machine during the reading process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,885 includes an anti-counterfeiting device for gaming chips. Light-receiving faces are arrayed about the circumference of the chip. The number of faces determines the value of the chip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,331 comprises an system for sorting gaming chips by color. The use of photodetectors to effect color differentiation is disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,876 consists of an object counter and identification system. The system counts and identifies chips by color for the purpose of (1) informing the gaming establishment if the house is winning or losing, (2) the amount of money being wagered, (3) the efficiency of the dealer, etc. The system communicates with a computer which processes the counting information received from the sensors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,781,647 shows a gambling chip recognition system. The system uses a video camera which determines the color, and thus value, by looking at the edge of the chip. Data from the color sensor is provided to a computer system where it is processed into information useful to the operators of the casino.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,574 describes a method and system for playing a betting game including a side bet. The system includes a microprocessor cooperating with a sensor which identifies the denomination of the chips by color. The system utilizes three light emitting diodes and one light sensitive diode to identify the chip color. The light emitting diodes emit yellow, green, red or colored light.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,090 defines an system and method for data gathering in games of chance. The invention does include chip sensors which are connected to a computer data processing system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,244 depicts a method of article identification through color determination. The method includes a color sensor and an article (chip) being moved relative to one another and a plurality of sensor readings are taken and then integrated to arrive at the color. The chip falls past the color sensor.
U.K. Patent 2,061,490 discloses a system for identifying and sorting gambling chips by color. It includes a plurality of photo sells, each of which is tuned to respond to the color of a particular value chip. After the correct color is sensed, the chip is mechanically routed to an appropriate stack of similar chips.
In a related technology, U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,293 illustrates an automated quality inspection station for evaluating color component characteristics of a product. The station includes a color video camera, for capturing video frames of product images, and a control system for analyzing those video frames. The control system is programmed to perform a reference calibration and then a sample calibration. During the reference calibration an operator identifies component type areas from a displayed reference frame of a typical product assortment. The control system calculates color value density curves from the identified areas. The density curves are then calibrated to each other by scaling each of the density curves by a scaling factor.
In the gaming industry it is desirable for casino management to have instantaneous information for all tables as to how play is progressing, the amount of money being wagered, the efficiency of a particular dealer, and other related information. It is to that purpose that the present invention is directed.
The present invention is directed to a system for recognizing the color, and therefore the denomination of gaming chips. In a preferred embodiment the present invention employs a plurality of pairs of light emitting devices, each pair emitting a different color light. The light emitting devices illuminate the entire surface of the gaming chip and therefore the light reflected from the surface of the gaming chip provides a composite average of all of the colors of the chip, regardless of how many colors there are, or how the colors are distributed upon the surface of the gaming chip. The present invention measures the total light reflected off of the chip""s surface, and compares the measured light with standard light intensity profiles for each denomination chip. When a match is achieved, the system produces an indication of the chip""s monetary denomination. If the measured light does not match any of the standard light profiles, the chip is categorized as an unauthorized or counterfeit chip, and an appropriate message generated.
A computer is utilized to collect, control, and process the gaming chip information. The computer develops an extensive computer database and graphic user interface which is useful in casino management. For example, all of the gaming chip information collected by the system many be counted, totaled, date-stamped, time-stamped, associated with a particular gaming table, associated with a particular dealer, and displayed in various useful formats.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a system for recognizing a gaming chip includes a pair of spaced apart light emitting devices, each light emitting device of the pair emitting light of the same predetermined color. An energizing circuit simultaneously energizes the pair of light emitting devices so that for a brief period of time they illuminate the surface of the gaming chip. Light reflected from the surface of the gaming chip is sensed by a light detector.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of pairs of light emitting devices are utilized, each pair emitting light of a different color. The pairs are energized in rapid sequential order many times in order to obtain a very accurate average measurement of the reflected light.
In accordance with an important feature of the invention, the gaming chip is dropped into a slot in the top of a gaming table and gravity causes the chip to fall past the light emitting devices and light detector.
In accordance with another important aspect of the invention, a detector circuit detects the presence of a gaming chip. The detector circuit then activates the energizing circuits associated with each pair of light emitting devices.
In accordance with another important feature of the invention, the energizing circuit delivers a constant current to each light emitting device so that the intensity of the light emitted by the light emitting device is also constant. An adjustment circuit is provided for automatically changing the value of the constant current to compensate for changes in the light emitting properties of the light emitting device. The adjustment circuit includes a micro-controller/controlled digital potentiometer.
In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, a hood surrounds the light detector to prevent light from the light emitting device from directly striking the light detector.
In accordance with an important feature of the invention, periodically when a gaming chip is not present, the light emitting devices are energized, the light striking a calibration surface. The amount of light reflected from the calibration surface is utilized to trigger the adjustment circuit which in turn automatically adjusts the level of constant current, and thereby the intensity of emitted light, in order to produce a desired intensity of reflected light.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.